


Number the Stars

by littlelotte



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, post-grad fic, they're so domestic i love them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-24 00:04:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12000735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelotte/pseuds/littlelotte
Summary: You know how Chiaki and Kanata said they'd stay together? It was really good so I decided to write a post-grad fic!!! It was also my entry for the Ryuseitai Zine!! Enjoy!!





	Number the Stars

**I.**

There are times, Kanata thinks, when everything in his world lies in perfect balance.

But not in the typical sense—No—it isn’t like that, and it can’t be. There would always be parts of his life that were messy, unfettered, and altogether confusing. For Kanata, for people _like_ Kanata, maybe, balance has to be found in the little things. In the patter of rain on the roof above his head, in the calming lull of ocean waves, close but just far-off enough so that he doesn’t get washed away.

But balance can also be found the toothy, too wide smile of certain somebody who one day decided he couldn’t, wouldn’t leave Kanata alone.

“Hey, Kanata!”

A pleasantly familiar voice shatters through the thick silence surrounding the apartment, filling it at once with the all light and passion of freshly kindled fire.

_Chiaki._

Before Kanata has the chance to get up, Chiaki leans over the top of the couch, _their_ couch, and grins down at him. There’s beads of sweat dotting his forehead and Kanata can’t help  giggling at the way the sleepy summer humidity announces itself in the frizz in Chiaki’s hair.

“You’re back,” Kanata says, matter-of-factly.

“Yep! And look, it’s hot, right? I bought popsicles! I couldn’t decide on a type so I just grabbed a whole bunch, but that’s okay! We can eat them together!”

Kanata laughs again, and Chiaki, clearly more than a little flustered, laughs too.

 **II**.

“I swear to you, villain, no matter what happens, I’ll fight ‘til my last breath! I’ll rid the world of all who threaten this peace, I swear it! You’ll never—”

“Cut.”

“You’ll never— _”_

“ _Cut.”_

Chiaki falters, brows knit together in confusion. “Did I...jump ahead in the script again?”

Their director sighs, his expression twisted with irritation. “No, no—it’s the staging. No matter what angle the camera takes, there’s too much rubble and other garbage cluttering the shot. We’ll have to tone it down and try again later. So take a break, kid, you’ve earned it.”

Chiaki seems content enough with that response, so Kanata takes the opportunity to hop off the sidelines and hand him a sports drink.

“So how was I, Kanata? I mean, I think my performance could use some work? I feel like our big scene together is more polished, but…?”

“Hmm...” Kanata hums softly. “Chiaki worries too much.”

Chiaki frowns slightly, a thoughtful expression on his face as they sit down on a bench outside the dressing room. “Acting in tokusatsu has been a dream of mine for a long time. I know I talk about it a lot and all, but this is important to me! I need to be sure I’m doing the best I can. For the kids, too! A lot of kids are going to be watching this program, so I have to become extra heroic for them, you know?”

The other actors and crew members start filtering in and out of the hallway, and Chiaki’s voice lowers to a whisper. “Basically, I have to look super cool.”

“If it ‘helps’, Chiaki, I think you’re cool.”

“You think I’m cool?!” Chiaki blurts, earning a few giggles from further down the hall. His initial shock is quickly replaced with newfound determination as he grips Kanata’s shoulders. “I think you’re cool too, Kanata! You’re one of the coolest people I know!”

Kanata gives a soft laugh. “The ‘sea’ is typically cool, so that makes sense.”

Chiaki shakes his head. “The sea _is_ pretty cool, you’re right! But you’re also cool as a person, Kanata! Just today, when your character was meant to give that emotional speech about family before one of the battle scenes? It was amazing! I was fighting back tears the whole time!”

A few of their co-stars as well as several crew-members have started staring at them, some looking more incredulous than others, but Kanata can’t bring himself to care. “In ‘that case’, I am glad I’m a ‘cool person’, Chiaki.”

There’s this odd, warm feeling springing up in Kanata’s chest, tying itself around his lungs and, for a split second, making it difficult to breathe. It’s like a tight hug, almost, and it only makes him want to reciprocate.

It’s _love,_ Kanata thinks.

_Maybe._

**III.**

“So then, beluga whales use echolocation to communicate? That’s impressive! To be able to reach each other within the great depths of the sea, it’s like a kind of superpower!”

Kanata hums quietly, shifting a bit as Chiaki’s head comes to rest on his shoulder. “Mm, you could ‘say’ that…”

Movie nights have been a tradition since their high school days. It’s been a good year since they graduated, but old habits die hard and, according to Chiaki, watching television is infinitely more fun with friends.

“Hm, and sea turtles live as long as humans do? So that movie from childhood was telling the truth!”

“They usually ‘live’ to be eighty years old. However, most ‘hatchlings’ are killed before they ‘reach’ the sea. Only ten percent ever ‘make it’ to the ocean.”

Chiaki’s mouth curls into a thoughtful frown. “Shouldn’t somebody should be out there protecting those baby sea turtles, though? Hatchlings can’t fight for themselves! They’re small, and they’ve just barely opened their eyes...but I guess there isn’t much I can do against mother nature, is there?”

“No, there is not,” Kanata says with a giggle, “But after we are done being ‘idols’, I think I want to become a ‘marine biologist’. You could ‘say’ that those type of people ‘protect’ ‘sea creatures’ from harm.”

“Ah, is that a dream of yours, Kanata?”

“Yes, I’d ‘say’ it is.”

Chiaki lifts his head up to look back at him, his eyes shining with a familiar sparkle. “It’s good to have dreams! Even after we’re not idols anymore! It’s good to chase the things you love the most! If protecting the creatures of the sea is what you want, then I’ll be your beacon of support every step of the way!”

“Mhm...I will be ‘with you’ as well,” Kanata tells him, and it’s a promise he intends to keep. “And what about ‘you’, Chiaki? What do you want?”

Chiaki blinks slowly, then sits up a little straighter, his expression suddenly becoming serious. “Once I retire from acting and idol work, you mean?”

Kanata gives a nod. “We can’t be ‘idols’ forever.”

“Mm... actually, I’ve been thinking about that a lot. See? What I love about being an idol is, well, it’s something that makes people happy. Doing hero shows in the park for all those kids, singing and dancing on stage to make others smile...people love that kind of thing! It’s always been a dream of mine to be somebody others could look up to. A real hero, you know?”

Kanata nods again. At some point after Chiaki had started talking, he’d grabbed Kanata’s hand.

“—So I think I want to continue being a person like that. I want to be somebody who helps kids especially, so I’ll work with them! Even now, I’m always researching what real-life heroes do, and if I put myself out there as somebody kids can talk to, like as a counselor for them, maybe, then I think I’d really be fulfilling that dream.”

“You have always wanted to ‘help the children’, yes?” Kanata murmurs, and there’s nothing he wants more than for him to keep going, to keep talking about his future with that proud gleam in his eyes and that brilliant smile on his face. With big dreams, a heart of pure gold and a magnetic personality rivaling the warmth of the sun itself, there would never be any stopping him.

“Of course! That’s what heroes do, see? If I can make at least one kid’s smile brighter, I’ll know I’ve done something good,” Chiaki tells him, just above a whisper and with an almost childlike brand of excitement.

“I am ‘sure’ you will,” Kanata whispers back, and there’s that feeling in his chest again, blooming and bursting like the particles of falling stars.

_Like supernova._

**IV.**

_He remembers Ryuseitai’s last Live like it was yesterday. The dazzling lights, the cheers, the flurry of emotions and way his face hurt from smiling too much. He remembers how that was something unfamiliar. He remembers tears of joy riddled with sadness, laughter gripped with nostalgia, and the thrill that came with watching shooting stars speed above the earth._

_He also remembers finding Chiaki sitting alone on a bench just outside the garden terrace, his eyes red, but dry as he played with the zipper on his old uniform. Their “Baton Pass” event had already ended, and their juniors had gone home for the night, leaving nothing on campus grounds save for scattered confetti, dimming glow-sticks and a couple of sentimental third years._

_I thought you’d left already._

_You ‘know’ I wouldn’t._

_Right._

_He remembers a thick, pregnant pause as Chiaki slowly folded up the Ryusei Red uniform he’d had in his lap and set it down beside him, his hands shaking, but just barely._

_I think I’ll miss morning practice the most, actually._

_You may be the ‘only one’ sharing that opinion._

_He remembers Chiaki laughing at that. Soft, quiet, but not forced._

_I’m just really gonna miss everyone, you know? Everything and all of it._

_And ‘everyone’ will ‘miss you’, too._

_He remembers Chiaki going silent again, a faint, sad smile tugging at the corners of his lips._

_If you really think about it, Kanata, this is the place where I became me. A better me._

_He remembers thinking about that for a while, turning the words over in his head until he understood._

_You have ‘always’ been you, Chiaki. And ‘you’ have always been ‘good’._

_He remembers another pause._

_Is that so? Hah, I’m glad, then._

_Me too._

_After that, he remembers sitting on the bench with Chiaki as they talked about everyone, everything, and all of it. Their first year. The War. Their Promise. Midori, Tetora, Shinobu, and all the children they’d sworn to protect throughout their time at the academy. They talked about Madara, the oddballs, the basketball and marine bio clubs. They even talked about each other, and tears were replaced with laughter and one-off jokes only they could understand. It was long overdue catharsis, and it was exactly what they needed._

_To the ends of the earth?_

_From the ‘bottom’ of the ‘ocean’._

_I’d go anywhere for you._

**V.**

They have free time, of course. Not much of it, but they manage to squeeze in little outings whenever the opportunity arises. The entertainment industry is daunting one—fast-paced and physically draining to be involved with—there’s hardly room to breathe let alone take a day trip.

Lucky for them, the ocean isn’t going anywhere.

They’d taken a train to one of the beaches far on the outskirts of the city. It’s already late afternoon by the time they get there, the sun hanging low over the horizon and casting a soft, red glow on falling waves.

“I think ‘here’s’ fine, Chiaki,” Kanata says, letting his bag drop to the sand with a soft plop.

Chiaki grins at that. “Mm, yeah? I think so! Good job, Blue!”

The nickname strikes a chord with Kanata. It brings back fond memories of late night dance practices and bright-eyed children, flooding his entire being with feelings of warmth.

_The sun is bright today._

“We have already graduated, Chiaki, and you still call me ‘Blue’.”

“Eh? Do you not want me to? I promise—as a hero sworn to protect you—that I’ll—”

Kanata stops him by lightly pinching his cheek. “I didn’t ‘say’ anything like that. You know, you’re pretty silly sometimes, ‘Red’.”

Chiaki’s brows crinkle slightly in confusion, but his smile doesn’t waver. “Well, if it’s okay then! It’s for old time’s sake, yeah?”

“Yes,” Kanata responds with a giggle, “For ‘old time’s’ sake.”

Chiaki’s eyes soften a bit as he puts his hands on his hips. He’s proud of himself, that much is discernible. But there’s something else there, something Kanata can’t quite place. Something different from the affectionate smiles he gives most people, but no less warm.

He hardly has the time to think about it before Chiaki all but drags him into the sea.

“Normally, I have to chase you into the water, you know? And sometimes, I lose sight of you! But I guess I beat you to that today, huh? Or is something the matter, Kanata?”

The soothing sensation of ocean water lapping against his legs is almost immediate, and Kanata forgets himself for a moment. It’s only after Chiaki squeezes his arms that Kanata realizes he’s being spoken to.

“Hey, Kanata? Really, I’m getting kind of worried…” Chiaki says, his voice laced with concern.

“I’m ‘fine’, Chiaki. It is ‘as you said’. Normally, you’re the one chasing ‘me’ into the water.”

He wears his heart on his sleeve, just like the protagonists of those tokusatsu shows he loves so much, but Kanata doesn’t mind. Chiaki’s always had his own way of being endearing. He loves that about him.

_Love._

“Hm? I see! Next time, let’s jump in together! We’ll run full speed ahead and hit the waves at the same time!” With that, his arms wrap around Kanata’s torso in a tight embrace, nearly sweeping him off his feet and out of the water in the process. His laugh seems to reverberate off the rising waves, and as the tide moves in around them, Kanata can’t help wondering if the ocean itself is desperately trying to meet him.

_He wouldn’t blame it if it is._

Slowly, and without a touch of his old reticence, he returns the embrace, bringing the other boy into the same, tight hug.

Chiaki goes silent, if only for a moment. Somewhere close-by, a seagull flies overhead.

“Hah, I’m never gonna figure out what to do about you, am I?” Chiaki murmurs, and it’s so uncharacteristically quiet, Kanata almost doesn’t catch it.

He thinks it over for a moment, then sighs and lets his forehead fall to Chiaki’s shoulder.

_Love, huh?_

“I’m sure you’ll ‘figure’ it out, right? ‘Hero’?”

“…Geez”

Kanata can’t help but laugh.

_That sounds about right._

“Hey, Chiaki.”

“Hmm?”

And Kanata leans in to kiss him, the vast ocean and the setting sun as their witnesses.

This, too, is balance.

**Author's Note:**

> this was so, so much fun to write!!! I love these two and Ryuseitai a lot!!!
> 
> you can follow me on twitter @tsubakimac for more Ryuseitai talk!!


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